Family run brewery, T&R Theakston has celebrated the life’s work of employee Edmund Stanley who has retired from the business after more than 50 years of service.

Having joined Theakston’s brewery in 1972, Edmund’s connection to the Masham-based business is one of the longest of any employee in its near 200-year history.

Aged 65, Edmund began his first role on the Theakston bottling line, hand filling bottles in the basement of what was the old Lightfoot Brewery bought by Theakston in 1919 and is now Masham’s White Bear Hotel.

He later moved to Theakston’s distribution department where he remained for the majority of his career, working as a drayman, delivering Theakston beer to customers throughout Yorkshire.

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Simon Theakston, joint managing director at Theakston Brewery, commented on Edmund’s time with the business saying: “As a business we’ve come a long way since the days of hand filling bottles, but throughout that time Edmund, much like the high quality of our beers, has been a constant.

“I would like to thank Edmund on behalf of the family and all his colleagues for his dedication to T&R Theakston and our beers over the last half century. Our business would not be what it is today without the hard work and camaraderie of people like Edmund. We wish him a very happy and well-deserved retirement and look forward to welcoming him back as a customer to the Black Bull in Paradise to enjoy a pint or two.”

At a gathering of all the company employees, Edmund was presented with an engraved watch amongst several other gifts.

The Northern Echo: A good send-off for EdmundA good send-off for Edmund (Image: Press release)

Edmund said: “I’d like to thank the company for their generous gifts and well wishes as my 51 years of happy memories at T&R Theakston comes to an end. I’m extremely proud to have worked with the company and play a small part in its continuing success.”

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Established in Masham, North Yorkshire in 1827, Theakston Brewery  is one of the UK’s oldest and most highly regarded traditional ale brewers. Operating as an independent brewer, it is the second largest of its kind under family control in the UK.

Theakston is one of just two breweries in the country still committed to making and repairing traditional oak casks, employing a full time qualified ‘Journeyman’ Cooper.

There are eight permanent brands in the Theakston range: Best Bitter, Old Peculier, Summit, XB, Lightfoot, Barista Stout, Pale Ale and Dark Mild. The Black Bull in Paradise, the Theakston Brewery Visitor Centre in Masham, welcome visitors throughout the year.